Campaigners fighting to retain hospital beds in Shaftesbury have cleared the first hurdle in the countdown to a decision on health provision in Dorset.

Recommendations going to the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group’s governing body next week now include retaining the inpatients beds at Shaftesbury’s Westminster Memorial Hospital. It also proposes working with the community to create new health and care services, possibly at a different site.

The change to the original proposal was unveiled today, Wednesday. But the final decision will be made next Wednesday, 20th September, in Dorchester.

Other changes to recommendations have been revealed following consultation with the public.

But a decision on changes affecting maternity and paediatric provision at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester remains unresolved.

The board will now be recommended to look to a consultant-led service integrated through Dorset County Hospital and Yeovil District Hospital. The move will involve public consultation by both the Dorset and Somerset CCGs and a decision is unlikely before next year.

Dorset CCG chief officer Tim Goodson said the Save our Beds! campaigners had put up a logical and reasonable case for retaining the beds at Westminster Memorial Hospital.

The new proposal was welcomed by North Dorset MP Simon Hoare.

He said: “I warmly welcome the CCG recommendation to retain beds at the Westminster Memorial and to explore commissioning of a new health hub.

“There was a huge local campaign to retain these beds and the CCG has been as good as its word. The CCG promised me it would listen to local voices and it has.

“There will be huge relief among my constituents and I share that. I will continue to work with the CCG to ensure the best outcomes for North Dorset.”

The recommendations being considered next week include commissioning new community hubs with beds at both Sherborne and Blandford hospitals.

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Mr Goodson said changes ahead of next week’s meeting were made as a result of feedback from public consultation. They include changing the location of a mental health Community Front Room service from Sturminster Newton to either Shaftesbury or Gillingham.

He said action had to be taken because of pressures including a growing financial challenge with a projected deficit of £158million by 2020/21 as well as a difficulty in staffing some services and an increasing elderly population with more health needs.

He said the situation at Dorset County Hospital regarding maternity and the children’s Kingfisher wards remains unchanged but could not continue long term because of safety and sustainability.

Other changes in recommendations include maintaining beds at Westhaven Hospital in Weymouth. There are also new proposals to commission a community hub without beds at Christchurch Hospital and a community hub with beds on the major emergency hospital site at Bournemouth.

The recommendations include having a community hub with beds at Wimborne Hospital.

Papers for the meeting on 20thSeptember can be found on the dorsetccg.nhs.uk website with full details of the recommendations.

The Clinical Services Review started in October 2014 and has cost around £4million.